Sample Interview Questions

To increase your confidence and potential for a successful interview you must research and prepare ahead of time. The most effective interviewees are those who have practiced answering (out loud) a wide-range of interview questions, and have created a list of thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer(s). The S.T.A.R. (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method provides a format for answering behavioral interview questions in a succinct way. Use our Applications and Interview Workbook for guidance on determining examples to share in an interview and how to use the STAR method to talk about these examples.

Interview Questions for the Candidate

Personal and Career Objectives

Tell me about yourself?

Why did you choose to study at Cornell? Why did you major in X?

What is the greatest personal challenge you have faced in college? How did you handle it?

What are your goals for the next three (or five, or ten) years?

How does this position fit into your short and long-term goals?

Abilities and Achievements

What are your current or past leadership roles and what have you learned from them?

Have you had to sell your idea to others who had differing points of view? What was the outcome?

Describe a time when you successfully balanced several competing priorities.

Describe a conflict you've encountered and how you handled it. What was the final result?

What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness?

Knowledge of the Organization

Why do you want to work for our organization?

What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours?

In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization?

What qualities do you seek in a supervisor?

How do you feel about overtime/traveling/relocating?

What are your salary requirements? How did you determine that? (View the Negotiating Offers PowerPoint and additional resources in this section before your interview to determine a reasonable salary range)

Questions for the Employer

Don't ask questions that are easily answered by visiting the organization's website or reading the position description. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you've done your homework and are genuinely interested in learning more.

Can you tell me about past projects on which employees in this role have worked?

What are the priorities over the next year?

How is success measured in this position and in this organization?

What kind of orientation or training is provided?

How much travel is required? How often is overtime required?

Does this position function mainly alone or in a team setting?

What is the greatest challenge currently facing this department or organization?

What are the major strengths/weaknesses of this work group?

How would you describe the organizational culture?

What do you enjoy most/least about working here?

What is the next step in the interview process? What is your time frame?